The Cumberland Road: From Dirt to Macadam to Highway

America's First Federal Highway

The Cumberland Road (aka National Road, later US-40) began as a dirt road — but didn't stay one.

Phase 1: Dirt & Stumps (1811–1818)

• Congress authorized 1806; construction began 1811 (Cumberland, MD → Wheeling, VA/WV — 130 mi).
• Cleared 66-ft right-of-way, removed stumps, graded dirt. Corduroy (logs) over wetlands.
• Opened 1818. Wagons sank to axles in rain; dust clouds in drought.

Phase 2: Macadamization (1820s–1830s)

• John McAdam's system: crushed stone layers (graded sizes), compacted by traffic, crowned for drainage. No binder — mechanical interlock.
• Federal funds (1820s) + state tolls (after 1835 transfer to MD, PA, VA, OH) financed upgrades.
• Result: all-weather, faster, heavier loads. Stagecoach lines flourished.

Phase 3: Further Evolution

• Toll Houses: Every 10–15 mi (many survive: Searight's, Petersburg, LaVale).
• Bridges: Stone arches (Casselman River, Youghiogheny) — engineering landmarks.
• Railroad Era: B&O Railroad paralleled (1830s–50s) — road declined.
• Auto Era: 1910s–20s: renamed National Old Trails Road, then US-40 (1926). Paved with concrete/asphalt.
• Interstate Era: I-70 (1960s) bypassed most — original road becomes local/Scenic Byway.

Legacy

• First federally funded interstate highway.
• Set precedent: federal role in infrastructure.
• Unified East/West before rails.
• Physical remnants: mile markers, toll houses, stone bridges, "S-bridges" (angled for stream crossing).

Bottom Line

Started as dirt (1811), became macadam (1820s), then paved highway (1920s), now historic byway. The Cumberland Road was a dirt road — for about seven years.